


Life's a game

by chedra



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Childhood Trauma, Conversations, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dinner, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff and Angst, Murder, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2019-01-30 07:32:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12649005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chedra/pseuds/chedra
Summary: Two years before Hannibal Lecter encounters Will Graham, he already lives in Baltimore, throwing dinner parties and being his usual self. That is when he meets an educated woman who senses that there is more to the sophisticated man than he gives away. Therefore, he immediately takes an interest in her, and soon observes that she's not quite sane.





	1. Chapter 1

It was late autumn when Doctor Hannibal Lecter, former surgeon and psychiatrist, threw a dinner party at his home. The tables were set and the meals had been cooked by the very man himself. Most of the guests had arrived, some entered the building at this moment where staff members led them to where they all dined in the living room.

In the midst of it all, Diana Bennett was standing, dressed up in a fine evening gown and sipping wine. The wine had a rich, luscious taste, and Diana enjoyed it when it sparkled on her tongue, although she usually preferred a sip of good scotch.

She was smiling to herself but didn't engage in any conversation while everyone else around her seemed to be absorbed in some sort of discussion. She had exchanged pleasantries earlier, but had soon lost interest in most of the guests. She wasn’t fond of the pretentious people in pretentious clothing who where attaining this gathering. At least the food was good.

She didn't know anyone in this house, not even the host who so generously offered them food and drink. She only got an invitation because one of her clients had insisted that she should accompany him as a thank you for the acquittal she had attained for him. However, her company had left her behind in order to meet and greet other guests.

To others it might seem that she felt at a loss, but that wasn't the case at all. The sound of the many conversations, of liquid being poured and of violins being played in the background made her feel at ease. She glimpsed at the harpsichord standing near the window and felt the urge to run her fingers across it, but resisted. Occasionally, she got a glimpse of conversations near her, that was when a man and a few women beside her caught her interest.

"These murders really were gruesome. One of the victims was not only murdered, but cut open and positioned in the museum for everyone to see," a man with a serious face, but high-pitched voice stated.

"Terrible. I heard that some of the victims' organs were missing, too."

"That is not only terrible, but an affront to humanity. This killer goes around and haunts people as if it was a game," a woman with too much lipstick on her thin lips snapped, seemingly in rage due to these incidents. Diana guessed that her pride was hurt due to the murders. Her rage did not come out of nowhere. She obviously was a sophisticated and conceited woman, but since these murders happened so close to her home, she felt afraid and assaulted herself. There was no sympathy for the victim in her voice, though. To Diana, the murder was not an assault to humanity, but to this woman's pride. 

"Isn't all life considered a game?," Diana eventually interfered, smiling as if there was nothing which could affect her good mood.

"If you don't value your life, maybe it is all nothing more than a game to you, that may be", the woman with too much lipstick answered her question after a brief pause in which they all stared at Diana. The woman considered her with an almost disgusted look, but Diana didn't mind. She was used to others being either impressed or upset due to her words.

"I can assure you that life has much more to offer if you don't take it too serious from time to time, while still valuing your precious life." Diana smiled warmly at the others, knowing that what she said disgusted the woman even more, but she was too amused to be bothered by that. Before the woman could snap at Diana again, she introduced herself to the three of them. Diana was the sort of person who took what she wanted, but in a subtle and unaggressive way. There was no point in getting rude when politeness could help you so much more.

They introduced themselves in return and thereupon questioned what position Diana was in to judge about the murders. She hadn't judged at all, but people were prone to misinterpretation regarding such topics. The conversation went on for a while, attracting other people around them who were listening carefully while chewing on the appetizers the host provided them with.

That was until another man stepped into their circle who had waited for their conversation to come to an end so that he could interfere. He was as tall as Diana, had ash blond hair and a sharp face with high cheekbones. Diana considered him as the embodiment of sophistication. Immediately, the expressions of the people she had spoken to changed into admiration. Diana was surprised that the woman with too much lipstick didn't drop her panties right then and there.

"Please forgive me that I interrupt your discussion", he requested with a heavy accent which only supported his already foreign appearance. He considered everyone with a friendly smile until his eyes eventually settled on Diana. She offered a smile in return although there was something deeply unsettling about being observed by him. It was as if he scanned her entirely in the glimpse of an eye, only to then observe her behavior further. 

"It appears to me that I hadn't yet had the chance to make your acquaintance. I am Doctor Hannibal Lecter, the host of this dinner party. I hope that you could enjoy yourself so far."

Although he sounded nothing less than welcoming, Diana found him to be somewhat distant. Most people were easy to read, some more than others, but Hannibal Lecter was clearly an exception. She still couldn't get a glimpse of what he had in mind. Thereby she was confused, to say the least. She probably stared at him for a second too long before she adjusted to his presence and adopted to her normal demeanor.

"Doctor Lecter. I am Diana Bennett. It is a pleasure to finally meet you."  
As she shook his hand for greeting as it was customary, she practically beamed with delight. Finally an acquaintance who wasn't as shallow as the other guests. In her eyes, he was magnificent. Although it was doubtful that he would face her with the same enthusiasm as she had to offer. Little did she know that Hannibal had observed their conversation earlier and therefore already took an interest in her.


	2. Chapter 2

It was only one day later that she met Hannibal Lecter again. On Monday morning, Diana Bennett entered the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, dressed in a plain but elegant suit and carrying a briefcase with her. Due to her occupation, she often had to visit the Baltimore State Hospital in order to correspond with her clients whom she defended in court. Her dangerous and sometimes insane clients, but she preferred them over simple cases. Fortunately for her, there were not many defense lawyers who willingly worked with the criminally insane.

She was walking through one of the hospital‘s many corridors when Hannibal approached her from behind, careful not to startle her. "Good morning, Diana. I did not expect to encounter you again that soon", he greeted her warmly, giving her a moment to adjust to the new situation while she stopped and looked at him, pleasantly surprised. She greeted him cheerfully, but there was something else about her expression that drew Hannibal's attention.

"Is everything alright? It appears to me that you are stressed."

She internally debated how the doctor was able to sense her distress although there was nothing which gave her away. He had only observed her for less than a minute. Reading people obviously came naturally to him. Diana found that equally impressive and unsettling.

"I am fine, it's just that such hospitals make me a little uncomfortable since I fear that they decide to not let me out of here anymore,“ she said, amused although there was truth behind her words. She didn't feel comfortable being surrounded by plain walls, metal bars and security guards. "I have yet to convey my compliments regarding the dinner. It was delicious and the selection was utterly divine," she continued without leaving room for Hannibal to further comment on her discomfort. She wasn't willing to let that topic affect her good mood.

They exchanged some more polite syllables until the question came up what they were both doing at the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. It appeared that they both had an appointment with the hospital's administrator Doctor Chilton.

"I'm here because the prosecutor's office instructed me to defend a patient of Doctor Chilton who has been institutionalized this morning," Diana explained further, smiling and wiggling with her briefcase as if her documents in there were explanation enough.

"Doctor Chilton," she exclaimed with obviously false delight as Chilton appeared from behind a near door that very moment. Chilton didn't seem enthusiastic about their meeting, either, but he didn't make an afford to hide that fact. Nevertheless, he greeted both her and Hannibal politely and apologized that their meetings collided with each other. He led them both to his office. 

"So tell me, who am I here for? I have been informed on such short notice that I couldn't go through the files yet," Diana questioned after they all had taken a seat, Chilton behind his massive desk, Diana and Hannibal in front of him. Neither of them was bothered that Hannibal observed their upcoming conversation. 

"It is about Abel Gideon, former transplant surgeon and husband of a wife which he decided to murder alongside his parents in law. He has been admitted to hospital this morning, but has yet to be diagnosed, although there's no doubt that he is in fact a sociopathic murderer."

"We shall see, shall we?," Diana grinned at which Doctor Chilton looked at her dismissively. Maybe he generally disliked lawyers who intended to defend his prospective patients, but it was more likely that he didn't like her in particular. They had met in the past and had been romantically inclined, so to say, until she had, completely unintentionally, offended him a few times. He was especially resentful in that matter.

"These are a few pictures of the crime scene he left behind." Chilton pointed to a small pile of photographies lying on his desk. "The FBI will be here in an hour and Gideon insisted that he would not exchange a single word with them without meeting a lawyer first. He did not even talk to me, although he undoubtedly will in the future."

Of course, Chilton had to point out his competence which he surely had plenty of, he would assure you that. Diana smiled at that, but refrained from commenting on it in order to spare Hannibal from Chilton's exaggerations.

Instead, she reached for the photos and studied them one after another while Chilton continued babbling about his procedures with his patients.

The first picture showed a woman, Gideon's wife, lying on a carpet drenched in her blood. Gideon's parents in law were laying on a couch nearby curled into each other in an awkward position. When Diana overlooked the blood and how some of their limbs were disfigured, the elderly couple reminded her of her own grandparents, snuggling on the couch in their living room while watching their favorite television show together.

The other pictures all showed one of the victims and presented how Gideon had proceeded in order to kill them. It seemed more like a burst of anger than a planned murder, but she would find out more about the details later. She looked forward to it.

While she studied the pictures, Hannibal observed her carefully. Nothing of her gave away that the pictures depicted a cruel act of murder. She didn't seem disturbed in the slightest. If not before, that sparkled Hannibal's interest. The emotions she was driven by were easy to observe, but Hannibal figured that her emotions and thoughts were purposefully revealed. 

After studying some other documents which Chilton provided her with while the two men were talking to each other, Diana stood cheerfully and excused herself in order to meet with Doctor Gideon. Chilton looked after her suspiciously.

"You seem tense, Frederick, is there something which troubles your mind?," Hannibal questioned, already knowing the source of his uneasiness. Someone half as observant as Hannibal could have seen that.

"Yes, I am tense, because I don't appreciate this woman running around in my hospital and interfering with my patients. They are already troubled enough. I doubt that she would be allowed to do so if someone truly observed her mental state."

"I've never before heard that you were worried about your patients' well-being."

"I certainly am now," Chilton nearly pouted, obviously frustrated. "She talks to these criminals as if she wanted to befriend them." Chilton was upset that she preferred a criminal behind bars over his company, but he didn't mention that to Hannibal. It wasn't necessary, anyway, because it was obvious to him. "Last year, she defended a man who had taken several people hostage out of boredom and after the trial was over, she still came to visit him and banter about their life." That was highly unusual even to Hannibal.


	3. Chapter 3

Hannibal's last patient for the day left in the afternoon. After that, he took his time to rearrange the cushions on the sofa as well as the items on his desk. He then was about to leave his office for the day when someone knocked on its door. He wasn't expecting anyone and didn't accept patients without an appointment. When he opened the door, Diana Bennett was standing in front of him, dressed in a beige cote and a dress which accentuated her figure. For men and women alike, she was a sight to behold.

"Good afternoon, Doctor Lecter. I apologize that I come to you without announcing myself first, but Doctor Chilton send me over to you with a few documents you had requested.“ She was sincerely apologetic although there was no need for that. Hannibal was pleased that their acquaintance wasn't about to come to an end too soon. Chilton could easily have managed to send him anything on a different way, but obviously Diana had insisted to do so herself.

"There is nothing to apologize for. Please, come in."

As Diana entered the room, she felt as if Hannibal had wrapped her in a cozy blanket. His invitation was so full of warmth that she couldn't help the feeling, although she still felt a little uneasy when he was standing behind her. Sensing that, Hannibal made an effort to make his guest feel at complete ease and stepped in front of her. Diana handed him Chilton's documents and scanned his office. It was simultaneously classy and modern and looked very nice, nevertheless, she tensed at the sight. Hannibal noticed immediately.

"Is there something which is unsettling to you?"

She didn't look at him, instead her eyes were wandering around the room. The way his office was furnished and arranged did not leave much room for interpretation. 

"No, my apologies, I didn't want to alarm you. It's just that I assumed you were a surgeon."

Her reaction to the fact that he practiced as a psychiatrist made him more than curious. Although she seemed relaxed again, a tiny bit of tension between them remained.

"I've practiced as a surgeon before I decided to become a psychiatrist. You would've preferred if I were a surgeon,“ he stated as a matter of fact. At that, her smile along with her confident demeanor returned. To Hannibal, it seemed that she couldn't handle being distressed any longer.

"You got me there," she responded amusedly. "I already had a fair share of therapy sessions during my life. That's why I'm usually not very fond of psychiatrists."

His curiosity grew, but it wasn't yet the time to act on it. So he simply mirrored her amusement while the tension between them was faltering further.

His tone was serious, though, when he stepped closer to her and said, "I see the need to remind you that I am, although you can always come and talk to me, by no means your psychiatrist. I would rather consider us as friends."

There her blanket was again.

"We are,“ she smiled, sincerely grateful for his clarification. "Thank you, Doctor Lecter."  
Although they were of the same height, she felt somewhat small under his presence, and a part of her didn't appreciate that at all. The other part reveled in the comfort he provided.

"Please, call me Hannibal."

Diana smiled at that. "Hannibal," she mumbled to herself, tasting the sound of his name on her tongue. He put some distance between them, giving her the opportunity to freely wander around the room. While she did so, she questioned why he had ended his career as a surgeon.

He told her that he had done so because he had lost one of his patients during surgery. But although he was practically purring with sincerity, Diana did not believe him. She doubted that Hannibal felt sorrow for the loss of his patient. But again, she wasn't able to point out the reasons why she thought so. She didn't confront him about it.

In return, he asked what made her choose her career as an attorney. She didn't mind telling Hannibal about herself and was confident in being absolutely sincere. Diana had nothing to hide. She told him that she initially intended to go into law enforcement, but wasn't able to due to her mental state. She did not explain that part any further and led no room for further questions.

The piano which was standing at the other end of the room was truly beautiful. She was fond of instruments and could play the piano herself, but she doubted that she had as much talent as Hannibal. After all, he classified talent, elegance and grace. She went from there to a small table beside his desk and was, again, impressed. "Are these your drawings?"

"They are." She waited for his silent permission to go through them before doing so. Among other motives, he had drawn the human form in many of its various shapes and postures, all of them anatomically correct. His drawings were all highly detailed renderings instead of loose sketches. When she didn't continue their conversation, he encouraged her to do so.

"I went into law school because that was the only way I could stay in that field of work and I'm glad that I did."

"It appears to me that interacting with your clients is very much to your liking, although they are accused of such gruesome acts."

"That is true. I see no need to judge them only because they committed a crime, some might even be innocent. As long as they respect me, I will respect them."

"Abel Gideon strangulated his wife and stabbed her parents," he pointed out, curious about whether he could evoke a less rational reaction. He was surprised about her answer. She was still observing his drawings when she mused absentmindedly, "There is something intimate about strangulation. Abel was holding her till the end."

"Most people are struggling to understand the reasons which lay behind an act of murder."

"I am not." She was so focused that she did not consider her words before speaking them out. Hannibal took advantage of that. He stood behind her and observed with wonder and curiosity that she didn't tense as she usually did when Hannibal was near, but out of her sight. Her guards were down. He encouraged her to continue, watching her.

"I believe that murder is an act incomparable to anything which someone can experience," she mumbled, lightly tracing the lines on the paper, careful not to smudge them. Not only did she admire the drawing, but the perfection it depicted. "I assume that murder is about beauty and raw power."

Hannibal stepped even closer to her, noticing the mild scent of her perfume. His hand lightly traced her waist, and with that, Diana snapped out of her trance. She faced him fully, frowning at him before huffing a small laugh in order to get rid of her tension.

"But I am not the one who has studied the human mind. I can only guess." There was challenge in her eyes when she looked at him.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I am new to the site and therefore not sure where to start. Hell, I'm even new to fan fiction, I'm just getting started here. But I've already finished the first chapters of this piece, so if you want to read more, I'd be happy to share my work with you. The events in this fic will be consistent with the series, so we can expect Will to come up in about two years. ;)
> 
> I deeply appreciate every of your comments, please feel free to share your thoughts with me!


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